Cat adoption saves lives. Adopt a cat and you'll have a friend for life!
Contact us, or contact another local humane society, animal shelter or SPCA.

Pets at Our Rescue Group:

Cities, Towns, and/or Counties We Serve:

We serve Knoxville and the surrounding area.

About Our
Rescue
Group:

The Stray Connection is a program dedicated to rescuing stray cats and kittens and is structured to ensure that all cats go to good homes. By adopting a cat from the Stray Connection you will be supporting our caring, no-kill organization and making room for one more homeless cat. We are always looking for safe, loving homes for the many homeless cats and kittens we are asked to take in.

Stray cats and kittens are housed in temporary foster homes until a loving, responsible, permanent home is found. There is no time limit on how long animals can stay in foster care. They stay until they are adopted. The Stray Connection rescues and adopts about 150 cats and kittens each year that may have otherwise been euthanized.

All of our animals receive high quality veterinary care. Before adoption, all cats and kittens are tested for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline aids (FIV). They are thoroughly examined by a veterinarian and treated for internal parasites and fleas. Our adoption fee also includes the necessary distemper and rabies vaccines, as well as the spay or neuter.

All of our animals go to their new homes healthy and well-adjusted.

The Stray Connection is helping with the recent Knoxville hoarding case. 60 live cats and 38 dead cats were found inside the home of a Murphy Road resident on February 5, 2012. The hoarder surrendered the cats to the Young Williams Animal Center (YWAC) on February 9. The Stray Connection was asked by YWAC to help with these cats on Friday, February 17. On Saturday, February 18, Stray Connection volunteers evaluated all 60 cats. Several of the cats had serious medical issues, upper respiratory infections, or were very scared or asocial.The Stray Connection took six cats on Sunday, February 19, and placed three additional cats into foster care on Saturday, February 25. Aslin, a beautiful Maine Coon, is severely underweight, and has a heart murmur. He also had trauma to his tail when he was younger. The first five vertebrae are fused so he cannot bend that portion of this tail, but he can wag the back half of his tail. Maddie is a long haired Himalayan mix female who suffers from cataracts and a condition called nystagmus, also known as quivering eyes. Clawdia is a petite female calico cat who is severely underweight and malnourished. Two of the cats, Mr Finnegan and Sir Keegan, have muscle atrophy in their back legs that should, thankfully, correct itself with proper nutrition and exercise. At this point, they are so week they have trouble walking and simply standing on their back legs, probably due to prolonged time spent in a cage or carrier. You can feel every bone in Sir Keegan's body with ease. He is filthy from being forced to lie in urine and feces for extended periods. Unlike animals from other hoarding cases, they are expected to fully recover and live healthy, happy lives.

All of the rescued cats are negative for feline leukemia and aids and about 1-2 years old. The Stray Connection intends find a good, permanent home for each of these loving cats. We will continue to help YWAC until all 60 cats are placed. The Stray Connection is also dedicated to sharing information on hoarding and abuse. In bringing the public’s attention to this, we hope to curtail the excess of brutal and senseless animal neglect and abuse by increasing community awareness, encouraging and supporting individuals to report any information or suspicions concerning possible hoarding, abuse or neglect situations to local authorities (e.g., animal control officers or local law enforcement officers). Please take action if you have knowledge that or suspect an animal may be suffering. You may be their last hope.

Come Meet our Pets:

We will be at PetsMart, Morrell Drive Location (near West Town Mall), every Saturday from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm. We also always have a cat or kittens available at AgriFeed Pet Supply on Middlebrook Pike - every day when the store is open. You may call (865-671-4564) or e-mail (hhfrey1@tds.net) to confirm hours or other events we may be at with cats.

Our Adoption Process:

Potential adopters are required to complete our application before adoption.

Our adoption fee is $125 for a kitten ($225 for two kittens). Cats aged 6-12 months old are $100 each ($175 for two). Adults cats (cats over one year of age) are $75. The fee includes testing for feline leukemia and aids, the series of distemper vaccines, the rabies vaccines, wormings, advantage so they are flea free when you take them home, a veterinary exam, and the spay or neuter. Microchipping is available for an additional $45. The adoption fee is waived for qualifying adopters interested in one of our sponsored cats.

At the time of adoption, adopters must sign a contract indicating their willingness to obtain all remaining vaccinations, treatments, and spay or neuter. If a placement doesn't work out (e.g., a family member discovers he/she is allergic), the animal is returned to the Stray Connection and re-adopted.

Why should you adopt?

Dog adoption and cat
adoption saves lives. Adopt
a dog or adopt a cat and
you'll have a friend for life! What is the difference between adopting a cat
or kitten versus getting cats for sale or kittens for sale from a cat breeder?
When someone is breeding kittens, they are creating new cats who need homes.
Some people are interested in a very specific breed of cat or kitten and they
think the only way to find that specific breed is to buy a cat for sale from
a kitten breeder. Yet animal shelters are filled with cats who must find homes.
So rather than buying a cat or kitten for sale from a cat breeder, we encourage
people to adopt a cat or adopt a kitten at their local animal shelter, SPCA,
humane society or pet rescue group.